Did you ever think you’d see a gardener transformed into a mother robin?

New Jersey’s nickname is the Garden State. Outsiders might snicker at this, but there’s a lot more to New Jersey than what you may have seen in various TV shows or from the interstate. In the video posted below, you’ll see a gardener in Green Brook, New Jersey prepare a meal for a new friend, something he manages to do using nothing more than a pitchfork!

The gardener’s new friend is, surprisingly, a robin. The American robin is found throughout a vast range stretching all the way from Alaska to central Mexico. Adults are instantly recognizable thanks to their bright red breasts; youngsters have a distinctive mottled plumage. While they make good use of their keen senses of hearing and smell, robins more often locate their next meal by sight. Next time you spot one, watch closely and you’ll see it repeating a process of hopping a few steps and then looking around for something tasty. Tastiest of all, from a robin’s standpoint, is a nice, big, tender, juicy earthworm.

Our New Jersey gardener was busy turning up soil with his pitchfork when a robin dropped in. Before long, they develop a symbiotic relationship: the gardener helps the bird find some delicious worms while the bird is giving the gardener encouragement, helping him get the job done. What’s especially cute is the way the gardener puts himself in the role of mother robin, teaching the youngster how to find a snack. At one point, he even drops a worm into the robin’s eager beak! He really seems to be enjoying his new role, saying things like “Look! Oh, come on, come on, come on! Over here! What a feast!” and “What a lazy bum you are!” Perhaps the most charming moment is when the robin accepts a ride on the pitchfork.